Being a patriot, I generally use this space to discuss American beers. There is no need to leave the homeland to find great beer — and plenty of it.

However, the family recently spent a few days in Frankenmuth, Michigan, where Bavarian food, beer and fashion hold sway. And we watched Germany play its way to a tough FIFA World Cup title during the weekend, prompting much flag-waving in the living room and yard. All this has me embracing the German roots of the family tree, which brings me to doppelbock.

Bock is a traditional, malty German beer style. A doppelbock, which means “double bock,” ramps up the flavor and alcohol content to a higher level. These brews emphasize the grains rather than the hops, so they generally are not bitter. Indeed, they can be somewhat sweet. They are high in alcohol, generally 7 percent alcohol by volume or higher, and some of them offer a bit of a hot alcohol taste. That is not always the case, though.

The doppelbock I picked up in Frankenmuth was a mellow, rich, complicated brew called Aventinus.

G. Schneider and Sohn brews this world-class beer in Bavaria using a 50-50 mix of barley and wheat malts and a smattering of Hallertau, Tradition and Magnum hops. Wheat is not a typical doppelbock ingredient, but wheat beers are this brewery’s specialty. They’ve been brewing Aventinus since 1907.

The resulting concoction is terrific, ruby-red with a great creamy cap of foam and a mellow aroma of bread and plums. It is a tad sweet, but too much so, and it does not taste boozy despite the 8.2 percent alcohol by volume. Indeed, it is a fine choice for dousing the fire in your throat after a shot of bourbon. It presents a wallop of flavors — bread, bananas, plums — and then finishes cleanly. It’s as balanced as a gold-medal gymnast.

For a big beer, Aventinus is remarkably smooth. It would be a great choice for someone who avoids bitter beers but nonetheless wishes to try something beyond lager.

Aventinus has a full-bodied texture, thanks to all those malts, making it a great fit for a meal of roast pork or sausages. It would work well with after-dinner conversation, too. Prost!